Political parties in developing countries play a crucial role in driving economic growth and advancing modernization, according to experts who spoke at the 2026 Think Tank Forum on National Governance in Developing Countries held in Beijing on June 26. The event, attended by over 150 scholars, political figures, and media representatives from more than 20 countries and international organizations, coincided with the upcoming 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Participants emphasized that parties in the Global South should tailor their modernization strategies to their specific national contexts while fostering mutual learning to contribute to the improvement of global governance. Highlighting the Chinese experience, speakers pointed to the leadership of the CPC as a fundamental factor in the country’s modernization process and its potential lessons for other developing nations.

Xie Chuntao, executive vice-president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, cited China’s pathway to modernization as viable and steadily advancing. He detailed how the CPC, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, has provided theoretical guidance and institutional support, mapping out a strategic blueprint aimed at national rejuvenation. Xie noted that China’s five-year plans break down longer-term strategies into phased targets, ensuring consistent progress over time.

Echoing these views, Xu Xiujun, vice-president of the National Academy of Chinese Modernization at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, underscored the importance of long-term planning. He described China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) as emphasizing high-quality development that will lay the groundwork for achieving socialist modernization by 2035. Xu emphasized that the CPC’s consistency in policy-making and its capacity for self-reform, including efforts to combat corruption, have been crucial to sustaining China’s modernization drive.

Speakers also addressed challenges common to many Global South countries, particularly the disruptions caused by frequent changes in government linked to electoral cycles. Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, former director of the Center for Brazil-China Studies in Brazil, observed that such instability can impede long-term initiatives such as industrial transformation, education reform, technological innovation, and infrastructure development. He suggested that political continuity is essential for sustainable development and expressed interest in fostering deeper exchanges regarding China’s governance experiences.

Further discussion highlighted the CPC’s adaptation of Marxist theory to China’s evolving context, which, according to Wu Zhicheng, president of the Institute of International Strategic Studies at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, has helped direct the country's modernization efforts with innovative thinking. Wu also mentioned the party’s ability to coordinate the interests of China’s population of 1.4 billion and to mobilize resources through what he termed “whole-process people’s democracy,” turning demographic scale into a strategic advantage.

Overall, the forum underscored the significance of political party leadership in enabling modernization and national development. While recognizing China’s distinct path, participants pointed to the value of exchanging governance experiences to address the complex challenges faced by developing countries worldwide.